An image grab taken from the state-run Syrian TV on May 5, 2013, shows Syria's Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi as he gives a press conference in Damascus, following Israeli air strikes on Syria. (AFP Photo/SYRIAN TV) / AFP

Syria's information minister says that those who infringe on Syria's sovereignty must "study their choices carefully." He said that Israel has "proved its link to terrorist groups." Israel has reportedly launched two airstrikes against Syria in two days.

Omran al-Zoabi added that it is Damascus' duty to "protect
the state from any domestic or foreign attack through all available
means."

The minister's comments came after an emergency cabinet meeting
organized to respond to what a Western source called a new strike
on Iranian missiles bound for Lebanon's Hezbollah, Reuters
reported.

The Arab League has condemned the alleged strike on Syria and
urged the UN Security Council (UNSC) to "act immediately to end
Israeli attacks on Syria," calling the alleged strikes a
"dangerous violation of an Arab state's
sovereignty."

This follows reports of condemnation from Egyptian, Lebanese and
Iranian leaders.

Syria's Foreign Ministry sent a letter to the UN and the UN
Security Council protesting "Israeli aggression" that killed
and wounded several people and "caused widespread
destruction." It also said the attacks aimed "to give direct
military support to terrorist groups" fighting the government.
It called the strikes a "flagrant violation of international
law" that have made the Middle East "more
dangerous."

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said the attack
proved that there is an alliance between Israel and Islamists
trying to topple the Syrian government. In an interview with CNN he
said the airstrikes are a "declaration of war" by Israel and
that Syria would retaliate in its own time and way.

Egypt has also condemned the attack, saying it complicated a
crisis that Cairo was trying to help resolve. The Egyptian
government said in a statement that the strike was a violation of
international law and a threat to the regional security.

The Obama administration is fully supportive of Israeli
airstrikes on Syria, US officials and diplomatic sources told NBC
News.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced alarm over the
reports, but said the UN was able to confirm whether the
attacks took place.

"The Secretary-General expresses grave concern over reports
of air strikes in Syria by the Israeli Air Force," Ban's press
office said in a statement.

"At this time, the United Nations does not have details of
the reported incidents," it said. "Nor is the United Nations
in a position to independently verify what has occurred."

It added that Ban "calls on all sides to exercise maximum
calm and restraint, and to act with a sense of responsibility to
prevent an escalation of what is already a devastating and highly
dangerous conflict."

'Israel is protecting its interests and will continue doing
so'

Speaking for the first time since the alleged strike, Israel's
Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon told Army Radio, "The State
of Israel is protecting its interest and will continue doing so. I
am not confirming or denying the reports...we have said on various
occasions in the past that we will do everything anywhere in order
to protect those interests."

Senior correspondent for Israel's Haaretz newspaper, Amir Oren,
said that Israel is "only trying to prevent and preempt further
conflagration."

"While there are many reasons in other aspects to be critical
of Israeli policy, it does seem that this time around it's quite
balanced," he told RT. Oren added that Israel is merely trying
to prevent another Lebanon war.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague agrees, saying that
Israel has a right to defend itself.

"All countries have to look after their own national
security, of course, and are able to take actions to protect their
own national security," Hague told Sky News.

Hague added that the recent escalation in the conflict and
Israel's airstrikes showed that the conflict risked spreading to
the wider Middle East. He stressed once more that it was time to
consider lifting the arms embargo on Syria's opposition.